Part 1:
A Life Dedicated to Buddhist Teachings Amidst Social Change
I am Xia Lianju, born in the late Qing Dynasty in Shandong, China, in a family of civil servants, where I graduated before entering the civil service. Step by step, I went through the imperial examination system and finally obtained an official position.
However, when China made the transition from monarchy to republic, I witnessed the political upheaval and changes in people's lives and realised the uncertainty of being a civil servant. Therefore, I decided to resign from my position. At the time, people struggled to survive, often unable to secure even their daily meals. Though they recognised the value of Buddhist teachings, they lacked the environment and opportunities for learning.
Respected Buddhist masters, known for their wisdom and virtue, became guiding lights amid the turmoil. Their compassionate efforts brought hope and stability, offering much-needed support to the people.
I was fortunate to encounter Buddhist teachings by first learning Chan and Vajrayāna Buddhism. However, witnessing the societal conditions at the time, I realised that the profound wisdom of Chan and Vajrayāna Buddhism was difficult to spread among the people. Meanwhile, the names of Amitabha and Guanyin were widely known among the people.
At that time, the urgent need was for Buddhism to spread and relieve suffering. Among all practices, reciting the name of “Namo Amituofo” (Namo Amitabha) was the most convenient, direct, and suitable for the people. I also realised that when facing life and death, self-reliance alone was insufficient—escaping the cycle of rebirth and entering the Pure Land required both personal effort and the compassionate support of Amitabha Buddha, working together as two forces in harmony.
Thus, I transitioned from Chan and Vajrayāna to the Pure Land path. In those days, there was a saying: "Mei in the south, Xia in the north," which referred to my friend Mei Guangxi, another Pure Land practitioner in the south, and me, Xia Lian Ju, in the north.